PROMOTION OF EDUCATIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION
IN TELECOM MOU SIGNED BETWEEN INDIA AND SOUTH AFRICA

December 8, 1998

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the telecommunications sector was signed between India and South Africa here today. The MoU was signed by Communications Minister, Shri Jagmohan for the Indian side and the visiting South African Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Broadcasting, Mr.J.Naidoo for South Africa. Earlier, the South African Minister called on Shri Jagmohan and discussed issues of mutual interest and cooperation.

Promotion of Educational and Scientific cooperation in the field of telecommunications, participation in joint projects, exchange and sharing of expertise and formation of joint ventures between companies of the two countries form part of the MoU. The MoU further provides the formation of a Joint Working Committee as an appropriate forum to ensure speedy and effective implementation of activities of cooperation envisaged in the MoU.

The twenty-six member South African business delegation visiting India from 8th to 18th December 1998 comprises of heads and CEOs of major South African organizations in the field of Telecommunications, Information Technology and has focussed groups on the same issues. These groups will have meetings with their counterparts in India both in the public and private sector. They are also likely to interact with the major institutions like FICCI, MAIT, ITI. These meetings may lead to possibilities of cooperation, in the areas of telecommunications, information technology and TV broadcasting.

Earlier this year, Africa had hosted 'African Telecom '98', the biggest event in telecommunications organized by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), in which the Department of Telecommunications had participated. Mr. J.Naidoo had visited the Indian pavilion and shown keen interest in Indian Telecom products. Following this, there had been encouraging exchange of views between the two sides which has culminated into signing of the MoU.

INDIA AND SOUTH AFRICA TO HAVE WORKING
GROUP FOR COOPERATION IN OIL SECTOR

November 2, 1998

India has proposed a joint working group on Petroleum and Energy with the Republic of South Africa on the lines of working group on Mining and Geology for which a protocol has been signed. The proposal was mooted by Shri V.K. Ramamurthy, Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas during his meeting with Mr. P.M. Maduna, South African Minister for Minerals and Energy at Cape Town, South Africa. Sh. Ramamurthy said that the working group could cover the transfer of South African technology to India in coal gasification for converting gas into liquid in view of the large coal lignite reserves in India and a high demand for petroleum products.

Another possible area of cooperation is the participation of Indian Oil, a fortune 500 company in marketing of petroleum products in South Africa. The working group could operate under the umbrella of the existing India-South Africa Joint Commission and will also include the cooperation in oil exploration including the participation of ONGC and other Indian companies in South African upstream sector.

Mr. Maduna while appreciating the proposal of his Indian counterpart stated that this would strengthen the South South Cooperation. To further the above agenda, he stated that the Director General of SA Department of Minerals and Energy will have further discussions in this regard with the Indian delegation and the concerned South African Companies. He also proposed that the joint working group could even consider India-South Africa joint exploration in Third countries particularly, in Africa.